Automobile seats see much wear from normal use during their lifetimes. To mitigate this one may install protective seat covers. Seat covers may also serve other purposes, such as comfort and aesthetic. For ease of installation, the upright seat backrest and lower seat portion of car seats are usually covered by separate articles.
Traditional seat backrest covers are generally shaped to provide a close form fit over a car seat backrest, being dimensioned roughly as oblong rectangular prisms or ovoids, being open at one end and having smaller openings on the other for the headrest. They are installed by removing the headrest from the seat, positioning the open end over the top of the seat, and sliding it down to the base, thereafter replacing the headrest. This presents a number of problems. Headrest assemblies have changed over the years and removing the headrest from the car seats of some older vehicles can be problematic, requiring additional tools and time. Additionally, due to the form fitting shape and common seal cover materials, such as polyurethane foam, installation can be a time-consuming process requiring at times excessive force to overcome snags or friction between the cover and the seat. This can also lead to accidental tearing of the seat cover during installation.
What is desired is a seat backrest cover which can be installed and removed easily and quickly without requiring removal of the headrest.